HLL launches female condom

Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) today launched for the first time in the country female condom to be sold under the brand name confidom

Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) today launched for the first time in the country female condom to be sold under the brand name confidom.

HLL has entered into an agreement with the Female Health Company (FHC) of the UK, the only producer in the world of female condom, and in the first year 500,000 condoms would be sold, HLL Chairman and Managing Director M Ayyappan told newsmen here today.

He said the company would be investing around Rs 5 crore to set up a packaging unit in Kochi after negotiations were completed with FHC for taking up packaging of the product from later part of this year.

Talks were also on to take up manufacture of Female Condoms within the country.

FHC was currently producing 12 million condoms in its factory in London, though they have capacity to produce 60 million condoms. The product was being sold in 80 countries.

Besides HLL, the Indian Government was directly procuring 500,000 female condoms to be distributed among commercial sex workers at subsidised rate of Rs.Five in States where incidence of AIDS was more.

These states included Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The actual cost of procurement was Rs 45 per piece.

HLL however would be selling its branded confidom at Rs 245 per box containing a pair of condoms.

It would be packaged along with informative material and sold through selective up market malls and shopping complexes and lifestyle stores.

Confidom was the only female initiated barrier contraceptive device made of polyurethane.

Mr Ayyappan said once the production was taken up in large scale the prices could come down by 30 to 40 per cent at the base price of Rs.45 per piece.

The Company aimed to spend around Rs.1.5 Crore for marketing the product in the first year.

He said that the sales could increase to 1.5 million from the second year.

Before introduction in the market a test launch was made in the Southern States and the product was widely accepted by all sections of the society.